Does obsessing about a problem help you solve it?

[isthatso]

Last weekend I had a problem that was stressing me out. Losing sleep. But I also attempted pragmatic solutions. And I solved it by the end of the weekend.
This weekend I have a new problem that is stressing me even more. I'm attempting practical solutions. But this one might be harder. I'm not as optimistic.
I've found with advice, some is useful other advice can make it worse.
Problems . I've never been a good problem solver. Better at problem avoidance.
Look... just buying an expensive item like a car. That's incredibly stressful for me. You fear getting stung. Getting ripped off. I usually lack the necessary insight skill to see if someone is taking advantage of my innocence or ignorance. In the end you have to trust someone you aren't 100% certain is trustworthy.
Life is a gamble even when you've quit gambling.
But I guess the more you face problems head on, the more resilient and persistent you become. I'm learning that. Learning is often painful though.

 

[isthatso]

I solved this weekend's problem as well!
Persistence
Commonsense plus exploring several options. You gotta do your homework. And I did!!

 

[4No1]

The only thing it helps me to do - is to increase a cortisol level

 

[Alwaysfocused]

For me it truly does. Nobody likes dealing with problems or uncomfortable things. When a problem arises and I obsess so much I can’t get it out of my head, I’ll finally decide to tackle the issue. Honestly I feel much better once I face it..

 

[isthatso]

For me it truly does. Nobody likes dealing with problems or uncomfortable things. When a problem arises and I obsess so much I can’t get it out of my head, I’ll finally decide to tackle the issue. Honestly I feel much better once I face it..

Good to hear.
Neurotic obsessors of the world unite!

 

[TheRealCallie]

Depends on the obsession, your mind set and the problem. Sometimes obsession can make problems worse if you're in a negative mindset. Sometimes it can help if you are in a positive, determined mindset. It also depends on whether you have control over the obsession to rein it back in.

 

[isthatso]

I feel lost today. I need a new obsession . So my life has meaning.

 

[NoxApex(N/A)]

It depends on what the problem is.
If it's an emotional problem, even though I tend to fall into that trap sometimes (everybody does), I still advise against it.
Unless you're particularly versed in drumming up practical solutions with problem-solving to impractical problems.
Purely because it's very, VERY taxing on both the mind and the body to try to work under an emotionally compromised state.
Anybody with PTSD or C-PTSD is aware of this, because anxiety with such conditions have profoundly uncomfortable physical effects that are absolutely exhausting to have.
Which is why under high levels of stress or emotional comprimization why people with PTSD or C-PTSD have a tendency to gravitate towards alcohol and substance use as a form of self-medication to try to calm their nerves.
The trouble is, that it has so much of a physical effect that it also has a mental effect.
It's challenging to think clearly and make proper decisions in such a state, and while things such as alcohol can help negate some of the physical effect, the first thing that alcohol effects is judgment, so it helps the body by helping nullify the nerves in the immediate, but at the cost of the mind.
And then of course if you keep drinking (which, commonly happens) then later it will also turn from having a physical benefit of dulling the nerves into having a physical deficit by dehydration, muscular fatigue, etc. etc.

So, if the problem is an emotional problem, and if it's under trigger points for PTSD and C-PTSD individuals, neither obsessing over the problem, nor turning to alcohol and substances, is an ideal solution.

Obsessing over the problem for a day or two is fine, but once you go beyond the 48 hour mark, if you're still shaky, if you've still got tunnel vision, and the clock still doesn't seem to matter, you probably need proper mental health practices like decompressing by talking to a friend just to get it out of your system because sometimes talking about it helps, or potentially any proper anxiety related medications which a doctor prescribes to you.

And also if you can get that friend you're venting to, to accompany you on a casual outing, that can help. Removing yourself with accompaniment from the physical location of any kind of a trigger point helps.
Example:
Girl problems?
Grab your bro, but don't go out to a bar or a club.
Instead, go fishing, or camping, or to the library, to a football game, etc. etc.

Now, if the problem is of logical and deductive reasoning obsessing over the problem can be a little bit easier because it's more mechanically-inclined. The solution in that situation is often to not think about what you can't do, because that does you no good. You can't do that, so that's a bad thing to hyper-focus on. Rather, what you should be trying to figure out is what you can do instead. And therein lies the direction.

 

[4No1]

The solution in that situation is often to not think about what you can't do, because that does you no good.

Very true, but it's not so easy to do I also can't stop thinking about things that can happen and that I can't change. It takes so much power and leads to the unpleasant physical conditions .

 

[movinggirl]

Not for me. It helps when I.....

1. Brainstorm
2. Walk away from it for a while and do something else. Take a walk, journal, watch TV, go for a drive, visit friends, go out to eat, etc.